The present invention relates to an apparatus for alleviating problems associated with deterioration of the knee joint through disease and injury, and more particularly to a knee brace capable of spreading apart the constituents of the knee joint, while the weight of the wearer is transferred from the thigh to the calf, such that an appreciable portion of the weight load by-passes the knee joint.
It can be well appreciated that severe problems are associated with deterioration of the cartilage in the knee joint. Since the cartilage serves as a means of cushioning and stabilizing the end of tibia and femerul bones in the knee joint, when the cartilage become damaged through trauma or disease, the ends of the bones will rub together causing pain and restriction of movement in the knee joint. With the increasing popularity of contact sports and also the prevalence of accidental bodily injuries, damaged cartilage has become a problem.
Although many different types of knee braces have heretofore been developed to compensate for injury to the knee joint, most of these braces have been designed to compensate for ligament damage. Particularly in the sports area, the knee braces have been geared to allow an athlete to be able to run and again participate in their sport, notwithstanding a permanent and irrepairable injury to the knee joint. However, much less attention has been given to individuals with cartilage damage, which in many instances is severely debilitating enough to prevent normal walking. Also, in some instances the damage to the knee joint may be severe enough, to warrant complete surgical removal of the diseased or injured knee joint, and replacement with an artificial prosthetic knee joint.
In accordance with the present invention it is possible to achieve normal movement in cases of damaged knee joints, and also alleviate the pain caused by bone contact in the joint area. This is achieved by an external mechanical brace which is provided with a pivotal hinge located on either side of the knee joint and the ends of the brace are respectively secured to the thigh and calf, such that the brace can be tightly attached for prolonged periods of time without interfering with and restricting the blood circulation in the outer epidermal areas of the skin of the wearer which is coextensive with the brace material. The means for securing the brace to the thigh and skin allow a sufficient tight fit, such that additional means can be provided to adjustably spread apart the two principal elements of the knee brace in accordance with the comfort level of the individual wearer. The synergistic effect, of separating the bones, which came together at the knee joint together with the transfer of the weight from the thigh to the calf, while by-passing the knee joint, results in a marked improvement in the mobility of the wearer.